The eponymous brand was established in 1962 by designer Yves Saint Laurent and his partner, Pierre Bergé. The brand' s logos were designed in 1963 by A. M. Cassandre. During the 1960s and 1970s , YSL popularized the beatnik look, safari jackets , tight pants , and thigh-high boots .
In 1966, YSL debuted Le Smoking, a tuxedo suit for women. In an attempt to democratize fashion, YSL began producing ready- to-wear in 1966, with its launch of Rive Gauche, and is considered to be the first to popularize the concept . YSL' s designs of ten featured designs influenced from traditional Chinese clothing, as well as themes from Pop Art , Ballet Russes , and Picasso.
What set Saint Laurent aside from his peers was his fearless approach to blurring the lines between men’s and women’s fashion and his celebration of female sexuality. Pioneering the power suit and transforming the safari jacket from functional to fashion-focused, he took traditionally masculine items and made them work for a new kind of womenswear, one designed to empower its wearer. It was a time of change in the fashion industry.
Le Smoking, the sharply tailored, all-black tuxedo, remains the signature style that defines Saint Laurent’s impact on fashion. It hit the runway in Paris to mixed reviews . Fashion buyers didn’ t include it in their stores , but celebrity trendsetters like Bianca Jagger, Catherine Deneuve and Nan Kempner were among the first to wear it . In 1975, fashion photographer Helmut Newton shot the look for French Vogue on a dimly lit cobbled street in Paris and secured its now-iconic status .
The brand expanded in the 1980s and early 1990s with men's and women's fragrances , and its cosmetic line in 1978. However, by 1992, the company' s profits were in decline and its share price had fallen. In 1993, Saint Laurent was sold to pharmaceuticals company Sanofi.
In 1999, Kering purchased YSL and hired Tom Ford to design the ready- to-wear collection, while Yves Saint Laurent himself would design the haute couture collection. Designs by Tom Ford For YSL were chosen Dress of the Year by the Fashion Museum in 2001 and 2004.
In 2012, Kering announced Hedi Slimane replaced Stefano Pilati as creative director for YSL. Slimane previously worked with Dior Homme until 2007. In 2015, Slimane announced he would revive Yves Saint Laurent's couture line. In 2016, Slimane left Saint Laurent and Anthony Vaccarello was appointed creative director.
While each of Saint Laurent’s successors had undoubtedly made their mark on the fashion house, none transformed it quite like Slimane. His dramatic four-year rebranding of the label, which stripped ‘Yves ’ from the nomenclature, certainly divided opinion. ”Yves Saint Laurent '' and the YSL vertical monogram logo would remain for accessories and its L’Oréal-owned cosmetics line.
Luxury Club SDABAC
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